Cheers and Jeers

Published: Saturday, September 22, 2012 at 6:01 a.m.

Last Modified: Saturday, September 22, 2012 at 12:50 a.m.

Disappointing catch — Louisiana’s fishermen are taking issue with a report on the Gulf of Mexico. And they are right to do so.

A report by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration says fishing in the Gulf in 2011 was the most successful in a decade.

That Gulf-wide view, though, is not shared by some of the fishermen who toil in and around the areas hardest hit by the 2010 BP oil spill.

For them, the Gulf is still struggling, as are they.

“Unless you look at basin-specific data, especially in the areas impacted heavily by oil, you’re not seeing the whole picture,” said Clint Guidry, president of the Louisiana Shrimp Association. “We still have areas in the Barataria Basin that haven’t reopened to fishing since the spill. These figures seem to paint a rosy picture that everything is fine. And it’s not.”

While it is good news to many that the overall picture of health in the Gulf is good and improving, that does not mean the struggles have ended for Louisiana’s shrimpers and other fishermen.

Let’s hope larger federal estimates of the Gulf’s health include consideration of the lingering effects of the catastrophic spill.

500 and counting — H.L. Bourgeois volleyball coach Peter Verret has reached a huge accomplishment — only the latest in an incredible career of success.

Verret earlier this month saw his team take a victory in Assumption High’s Bayou Classic. That win was the 500th of his career, an achievement that speaks to the longevity and success he has made a part of his program.

“It’s all about the kids,” Verret said of the honor, which was memorialized in a plaque given to him this week during a ceremony before the team’s match against St. Amant.

Verret deserves a lot of praise as well. While his work with the team is dedicated to the kids playing for him, the work is important. It provides an excellent example to his students of what hard work and dedication can help them achieve.

Congratulations, Coach Verret.

Good development — “We hope it will be a good way to bring the community together with a common purpose.”

Those are the words Lafourche Parish President Charlotte Randolph used to describe the future community center being built in the Alidore community in Raceland.

The building — complete with an auditorium, recreation areas and meeting rooms — should be finished by January.

The facility will be an excellent addition for the community, which will put it to great use.

In other good news for Alidore, the parish is also completing a multimillion-dollar drainage project that will help alleviate some of the issues that have led to past flooding.

Together, the two projects should significantly improve the quality of life in Alidore.

Timely petition — A local legislator is asking that the Louisiana Legislature convene a special session devoted to discussing recent budget cuts made to the state’s higher education and health care systems. State Rep. Dee Richard, a Thibodaux independent, has sent a petition to his colleagues in the House asking them to call a special session.

“I believe that we are witnessing a complete disregard of the legislative branch’s powers by this administration and must address this immediately or we shall find ourselves completely left out of the budget process,” Richard said in his letter.

Richard said Gov. Bobby Jindal has made nearly $1 billion in cuts since this year’s legislative session ended in June.

That much of a change in state spending should come at the direction and approval of the Legislature. Richard is right to seek a session, and his colleagues should support this effort.

<p>Disappointing catch — Louisiana's fishermen are taking issue with a report on the Gulf of Mexico. And they are right to do so.</p><p>A report by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration says fishing in the Gulf in 2011 was the most successful in a decade.</p><p>That Gulf-wide view, though, is not shared by some of the fishermen who toil in and around the areas hardest hit by the 2010 BP oil spill.</p><p>For them, the Gulf is still struggling, as are they.</p><p>“Unless you look at basin-specific data, especially in the areas impacted heavily by oil, you're not seeing the whole picture,” said Clint Guidry, president of the Louisiana Shrimp Association. “We still have areas in the Barataria Basin that haven't reopened to fishing since the spill. These figures seem to paint a rosy picture that everything is fine. And it's not.”</p><p>While it is good news to many that the overall picture of health in the Gulf is good and improving, that does not mean the struggles have ended for Louisiana's shrimpers and other fishermen.</p><p>Let's hope larger federal estimates of the Gulf's health include consideration of the lingering effects of the catastrophic spill.</p><p>500 and counting — H.L. Bourgeois volleyball coach Peter Verret has reached a huge accomplishment — only the latest in an incredible career of success.</p><p>Verret earlier this month saw his team take a victory in Assumption High's Bayou Classic. That win was the 500th of his career, an achievement that speaks to the longevity and success he has made a part of his program.</p><p>“It's all about the kids,” Verret said of the honor, which was memorialized in a plaque given to him this week during a ceremony before the team's match against St. Amant.</p><p>Verret deserves a lot of praise as well. While his work with the team is dedicated to the kids playing for him, the work is important. It provides an excellent example to his students of what hard work and dedication can help them achieve.</p><p>Congratulations, Coach Verret.</p><p>Good development — “We hope it will be a good way to bring the community together with a common purpose.”</p><p>Those are the words Lafourche Parish President Charlotte Randolph used to describe the future community center being built in the Alidore community in Raceland.</p><p>The building — complete with an auditorium, recreation areas and meeting rooms — should be finished by January.</p><p>The facility will be an excellent addition for the community, which will put it to great use.</p><p>In other good news for Alidore, the parish is also completing a multimillion-dollar drainage project that will help alleviate some of the issues that have led to past flooding.</p><p>Together, the two projects should significantly improve the quality of life in Alidore.</p><p>Timely petition — A local legislator is asking that the Louisiana Legislature convene a special session devoted to discussing recent budget cuts made to the state's higher education and health care systems. State Rep. Dee Richard, a Thibodaux independent, has sent a petition to his colleagues in the House asking them to call a special session.</p><p>“I believe that we are witnessing a complete disregard of the legislative branch's powers by this administration and must address this immediately or we shall find ourselves completely left out of the budget process,” Richard said in his letter.</p><p>Richard said Gov. Bobby Jindal has made nearly $1 billion in cuts since this year's legislative session ended in June.</p><p>That much of a change in state spending should come at the direction and approval of the Legislature. Richard is right to seek a session, and his colleagues should support this effort.</p><p>Editorials represent the opinions of</p><p>the newspaper, not of any individual.</p>